Monday October 29th, 2007 @ 3:06 AM

I had stretched my lobes to 00ga, but now a job opportunity that I cannot pass up has required me to remove the jewelry. My question: what are the best/easiest/most effective methods for closing up lobe fistulas?

Fastest/Easiest means of closing up the fistula - Visit a plastic surgeon and have them close it up via a surgical procedure.

Sadly though this procedure usually costs a pretty penny (usually around $500 a lobe from what I hear, plus or minus some money there) and is a route not many go down, due to the cost.

Another option is to take your jewelry out and massage them daily with an essential oil like: Vitamin E, Neem Oil, Jojoba Oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil,etc. Do a deep tissue massage once or twice daily and simply do not put any other jewelry in your lobes.

Now depending on the person, as each individual varies, this might enable the holes to close up a lot or it might not close up hardly at all. But I’d say it’s better to try and let them close up on their own before going down the road of re-constructive surgery. So do the deep tissue massages daily for a couple weeks and see how much the holes downsize.

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99 Responses to “Closing stretched lobes”

Hey! I was also at a 00g and I wanted my holes to close. I was getting married in roughly three weeks and didn’t want huge earholes in my wedding pictures. They closed up to about a 10g in two weeks but I massaged the hell out of them. They didn’t get any smaller after that. Recently I did restretch and I must say it’s much easier the second time around. Good luck!

After a few minor tears and incidents when stretching my lobes, the fastest way I’ve found to lose some diameter is to just rub the inside of the holes with your thumb and forefinger, just enough to mildly irritate it.(not enough to damage or make them flare up), I’ve lost almost a whole size doing that merely from the irritation of trying to get plugs in. Then start the massages and they should shrink up some.

None of these are “essential oils”. They’re carrier oils, you can add essential oils to them for therapeutic purposes, but on their own they’re just body oils. Essential oils are things like lavender, tea tree, etc. They’re made by a totally different process and in most cases must be greatly diluted with a carrier oil before applying to skin to prevent irritation.

Actually, ‘Em’, neem oil is most certainly an essential oil, but what was the point of your comment, anyway? Your pedantry and condescending tone aside, I’m certain everyone reading this knows what Warren meant in his post, you haven’t helped add any useful information. Snarking for the sake of it never makes the snarky commenter look cool or clever, IMHO.

I know people are on here to try and close there ears up for example emmy because she said she doesnt want them for her wedding photos i was just woundering that if any of you knew that you can by flesh colored tunnels which blend in with your ears?
a person on ebay called Lozzy used to do them but she no longer does,but i have been told by a few people that they are good for work,there called Flesh coloured tunnels for the people who want to know

You can get hider plugs from Kaos Softwear if you just want to HIDE your stretched lobes, too, and they’re available in different flesh colours - I’ve only ever seen the knockoff ones on eBay in a very dodgy Barbie-skin colour!

I was at a 1 1/2″ also and now I’m down to a 5/8″. All I did was take my plugs out at night and whenever I was just sitting around at home. Whenever I would put them back in I would put a smaller plug back in (Since I still own all my jewlery this doesn’t cost anything for me). I was losing about one size per week.

I slowly stretched my ears to a 00 gauge. They have been at a 00 gauge for maybe 5 years now. They are still pretty tender inside.. and when I take them out for a little they get tighter. I am just wondering how long until them fully close up if I were to take them out.

Jessica, you shouldn’t worry. I’m sure your mom doesn’t really mean COMPLETELY closed. I mean, even normal ear peircings tend to never “close” up if they’ve been in too long. I’m sure your mom just means she wants your ears to be shrunk back down to a normal earring size? If that is the case, your ears will probably shrink back up before all that long. At least that’s how it worked out in my experience. 00 back to normal only took a week or two.

Joel, how long did you have 00’s in before you took them out and they healed? I’m at 0’s now and wanting to stretch to 00, but I’m afraid they wont heal back to a normal piercing. I plan on keeping the 00 for under a year.

See, i was at 7/16″ and then took them out, rubbed them with vitamin e, etc. etc. and they are still open to about a 2g. That may be, because i stretched to 7/16″ over a period of about 2 years and let them heal each time before i went up a size. I want them completely closed to about a 22g or 20g, roughly the size of a regular earring. I know friends who have been at half inch and higher, that “irritated” the skin on the inside of the lobe using sandpaper, and then then the skin would heal the “wound” and gradually close. I don’t want to resort to this, so if anyone has an efficient way of closing them more, let me know.

i have 1/2 inch and one fell out in the ocean so i decided to just be done with them because i need to look for a job and don’t have money to buy new ones anyways. But i’ve had them for 5 years, do you think they’ll close up all the way to a 18/20 g? And what could i do to help that process without getting the surgery? Thanks.

I recently gauged up to an inch but my right ear became infected and obviously will get smaller (it got infected about a year ago at 5/8″). Anyways, as silly as this sounds I think it’s a sign to stop gauging so I want to know how to close the left one up significantly. Obviously there’s no going back all the way but I’d like to give it a try. Suggestions?

if you try putting in a taper that is big enough to slightly rip the inside of the fistula the lobe will become reddish ( the blood causes the lobe to swell), removing the taper and leaving nothing in your ear can help it close, if not close completely. Also by tearing the inside part you can help the cells heal together as an open wound would. Ive noticed this after trying to stretch my ears too fast with a gauge that was too big. It hurts but it works;) (just careful to not tear your ear off)

Your ears will never close. I had mine to 7/8. I hate that I was so unoriginal and did that. I took them out 4 years ago. Ears still have huge holes. Don’t make the stupid mistake I did. Im covered in tattoos as well. Trust me, it’s not as cool when you get older. You just look and feel like a freak and can never change it

I had my ears at 24mm,i decided to take them ut after i got my hair cut, because they really didn’t suit me with short hair. i’ve only had them out for 8 days now and now my ears are back to 12mm. i found that if you just take out your plugs and dont touch them for any reason, the only time i touch them is when i use an exfoliating glove on them before i go to sleep and it seems to be working well. im now nearly back to my desired 0g. =)

I’m sorry, but seriously. Sarah? I don’t mean to be mean or make a great big scene, but it’s not gauging; it’s stretching. You recently STRETCHed up to an inch. And for my useful contribution? I did it the stupid way and stretched to 00g (9.5/10mm) within the space of around 2 months prior to piercing my lobe. Yes, stupid. But I managed to have it heal from 00g to 0g(7.9mm) within a few hours (after 3 weeks of having it at 00g) and from there going all the way down to 10g (2.5mm) within about 4 days. Conclusion; with reckless stretching, you can still heal your ears quickly. Lobes will heal down to around 10/12g (2.5/2mm) within a few days/ weeks depending on the person’s lobe and the rate at which it was stretched.http://www.facebook.com/ThePickleMassacre

Now, I’ve blown out my ears a couple of times in the past, due to stretching dumbly (i.e too quickly) and every time, I took it out and started a new. Each time it closed right up to normal piercing size after scabbing over and stuff. So, I am not sure its the best way to go about it but if you are desperate, blow outs are extremely efficient in closing stretched ears (I went back from 00ga)

So I’ve heard of many ways of closing up stretched ears , but up until today i heard that getting something made of metal or that has a high melting point and burning it with fire until its really hot , you get that item and put in your stretched ears will cause them to swell up and doing that on a daily bases will eventually help your stretched ears close and downsize much quicker ! my concern was if anyone has tried that or even heard of someone doing that and actually working ? I was recently at 1″&1/2 and decided i don’t want to have stretched ears when I’m older since i am still a teen. Does anyone have any suggestions or tips on how i can close them up , maybe not fully since i know that’s not possible but at least to a 0 gauge ?

Hey, ive been reading and watching youtube videos with people downsizing but none have given me an answer as they stretch again soon after.

I want to close my 12mm’s (1/2″) completely or small enough to wear normal studs. I have had them for over 6 years and I dont like them any more simple as that. (Before I get the “you shouldnt have done it in the first place comments” I know its a pretty perminant body mod but I was 15 when i started and was really into piercings etc, now I’m 21 and wish I didnt start! Although I still like the same music, same values, still love tattoos etc I just dont want plugs any more!)

I took mine out two days ago and although they look shriveled up I can still poke my fingers through, but they do feel tigether which is good. If they don’t shrink back at all in 6 months I will consider surgery but I wanted to see how small I can go by my self first as it’s pretty pricey!

I was just wondering if anyone has done it successfully and what tips you have other than massage them with oils? I read somewhere irratating them first (with sandpaper?!? etc) can help… is this true or will it just make it worse?

Hiya, all the comments above seem to be very helpful and i too like janedoe have searched through out the net to find photos of people that have permanently downsized and can’t seem to find anything.

i’ve had stretched ears for about 5years now and want to close them up completely as they just don’t appeal to me anymore, the biggest i’ve been is 1′ (26mm) and since then i’ve downsized to 00g (10mm)

i pretty much like janedoe have left them out for around two days now and they have gotten smaller but they are still quite big holes still.

just wondered weather it was worth buying these oils and if so has anyone got any experanice with them

I have had my 7/16 for just under a year. I took my plugs out and after about a month they have closed to about a 4g/loose 6g. The hole now comes together and just looks like a torn regular piercing without any jewelry in.

Okay well I’m 15 and currently have a 7mm in one ear and a 9mm in the other. I really want to stretch to a 10mm/00g but I would like to know if i will be able to downsize my ear not completely back to normal but down to roughly 2.5mm i would be very happy with that.
I’ve only been stretching for about 2 1/2 months i know that’s quick but my ears felt healed at the time and were not sore at all.
Basically my question is because I’ve stretched so fast will my ears downsize to a 2.5mm in the future if i ever decide to take then out?

I’m starting to stretch my ears, I’m at a 8g right now. And my mom doesn’t want me going any bigger until I do some research.
I’m only planning on going up to a 2g. Will it go back down to a normal piercing size?

All of these posts are really helpful, I will be trying the massaging technique.. Funny enough, I’m 31 years old and have had gauges in since 1994; I never went huge and honestly i lost track of the actual size.. Never cared.
But I am enlisting in the Army National Guard and pretty much got the ok with a tattoo waiver for the ink on my neck, the recruiter told me my biggest hurdle will be closing the gauges. He said they have to be completely closed to a normal piercing size. My girlfriend had a wicked good idea the other night, to use “collagen cream”, ya know, the stuff women use on their wrinkles and baggy eyes?! the stuff supposedly tightens the skin; I’ve been using it on my ears for 2 weeks before I go to bed and after my morning shower and it’s working a little.. Anyone know of any better ideas?

Blow outs in your ears is he worst option you can shoose when considering closing your ears. Doin this will leave a great possibility for your ears scarring (which is especially bad if your pone to keloiding). In my opinion, those who regret their stretching should have never considered it in the first place. Stretching is not just a fashion statement. but I digress; using Castor Oil and Vitamin E will greatly increase your chances of closing your ears, yes, even if you have scarring from blow outs. Deep tissue messaging wih Castor Oil will break down existing scar tissue relatively quicker than traditional methods, Aloe vera, Mederma etc, as well as promote cell restoration. Vitamin E will increase the elasticity in your ears which is very important. It is the elasticity that allows your ears to close after stretching. Think of your ears in regards to a pregnant womans stomach, many woman birth a child without having stretch marks because they increased the elasticity of their skin. I take ear stretching very seriously as well as the care of ears. Many people stretch ears without doing he neccessary research to successfully an carefully stretch their ears. If anyone has ny further questions feel free to message me via email at: k_higgs_orghotmail.com. I’d be more than happy to answer and inquiries anyone might have.

Hey guys,
My ear is recently at 14 mm and is healed perfectly. I have had a 14 mm in for 3 months now and I took it out and its not changing at all ( it’s been 1 week )
Any tips on how to make it close up quicker?
And I don’t care that i might never close up fully I just want it smaller. Also my ear lobes are fucking tiny, Will that make a difference on how quickly it closes up or not?
Thanks!

I’ve currently had mine out now for around 4months straight and barely touched them. They’ve downsized a bunch but still there rather big visable holes and am considering surgery. Im not sure tho as there around 8/6mm currently, not sure if it’ll look more different. Hows it going for you janedoe?

I streched my ears to a double 00g but i was only at a 00g for about a month and i have had them out for about a week now and they closed to about a 2 i need them closed to about a 10g in 2 weeks any ideas on how I can close them for good

I’m finally ready to go back to regular post earrings, so I’ve found it useful to read this article.

It’s one of those funny things: “I told you so” means nothing - hindsight is always with 20:20 vision.

Anyway… Mine have pretty much instantly shrunk to support 4mm after a few hours (phew!), but it’s the shrinking beyond this I’m most interested in. After all, most stud earrings would still pass straight through! Bring on the massage… And oil.

I’ve had 0g since last summer and I loved them, but now I’m just done with them since getting actual cute ones can be expensive and I’ve seen really cute ear rings that I love, and I miss not being able to wear them anymore. I have Extra virgin olive oil, but would it really help? I reeaally want my ears to go back to the normal size, but I have no clue how to do that. >:|

I currently have 2G lobes, since i am enlisting into the United States Marine Corps, they must be closed before i can leave. I stretched my ears the RIGHT way, waiting 5-6 months, and only going up by a Gauge at a time (I.E. 10-8-6-4). I never stretched them any earlier than 6 months. Should my lobes close by them selves? or will i also need to see a surgeon.

Hey everyone, I know this thread is pretty old now, but I’m at 10mm, which is i think 00g? I haven’t worn jewellery in my gauges for about.. 2 weeks now and am looking to size down. Would it be effective to chuck in the smallest jewellery that ‘fits’ for a week or so to get it used to that size, and continue until I get down to original piercing size? Along with massaging with an oil?
Thanks guys

After having ear plugs for 2 years, I decided to take them out a month ago. They were at 10mm (0g?) but I was over it. No regrets, just wanted to go back to regular earrings (with the option of wearing no earrings at all).

Sooo… I read everything I could (I think this was the first site I checked :D). I just took the jewellery out, and massaged olive oil into the lobes. The holes were definitely irritated at this stage. After a few days the holes had shrunk to half the size. They continued to close over the next week or two.

By this time, they felt healed… One was completely closed (i.e. can’t see through it, but there’s definitely an imprint a lot bigger than a regular ear piercing) but the other was stuck at 3mm - you could still see through.

I tried loads of other creams (including Deep Heat!) but with little success… I read about someone using a drill bit to tear up the skin inside to promote further healing. Sounded a bit brutal to me, but I got this like mini flossing toothbrush (like a tinnny bottle brush almost) and it was just the right size to aggrovate the hole again. Next day, it started closing again. And now, no more holes! Definite marks, but no gaping holes.

I had a 4mm ear stretch (6gauge i think) for about 10 years. Its not much but now i wanted it completely healed without any mark or normal size hole. so what i did is:
1. i took the plugs out and kept adding twice a day cilcafate cream from avene for about 3 weeks.
2. After that i started using kelosoft cream for 1 to 1.5 weeks. (think kelosoft is better so maybe i would have the same rsults without using cilcafate.
3. when my ears went to a smaller size ( about 2mm) i re opened them ( made them bleed) and used hansaplast cerotto spray for about 2 weeks.
4. after they completely healed my ears where back to normal like if they were never pierced. But a small scar was there.
5. After that cilcafate or kelosoft cream will make the scar dissapear in a month period of time.

I think that will work in all piercing sizes not exceeding 6mm (2 gauge). but you can try.

The thing though with kelosof or cilcafate cream is that if you use it on a reopened piercing or in an irritated (red skin) area then your piercing hole will not get to a smaller size as it will become smother and better looking hole.

To Jason Sheppard : collagen cream and all the women products for rinkles etc wont help. for a piercing hole to heal you need a skin regenerate product and as the skin will never regenerate if its already healed you need to re open the piercing.

hope i helped. maybe there is a better way to completely heal it. But for MY ears that was a good way cause they are completely healed and im happy with it.

I was at 1 3/4ths. Mine closed up to 0g so there is hope people! Stop trippin’ about your baby sizes not closing lol. Just keep all your plugs, tapers, etc. and downsize every week or so. Massages help a lot also. That is all

Everyone on here needs to get there facts straight, my ears are at 2 1/4″ so I think I know a thing or two. If you go to a 00 then there gonna close by themselves your not going to need surgery but anything after a 00 arent gonna close up all the way, so before you go doing anything crazy just make sure you talk to someone that’s been thought it before

Many of these suggestions have been helpful. Every friend I have spoken to, was able to reduce to an 8 gauge, if they were sitting at a 00g.

Another option is to have a skilled body piercer stitch you ear lobes. Many of them are quite good at it, and you won’t end up shelling out $1000+ to have it done. The only downside is having stitches performed without local anesthetic. I’m sure no one reading this is a stranger to piercing pain though.

@Tom Tom,is there a possibilty that you can send me a picture of your ears now at jenny.i.love.rainbows@gmail.com?
I’m conciderring stretching but will eventually have to shrink again and would like to know what my ears will look like afterwards.

So I haven’t stretched my ears at all yet. But I would really love to do it just for fun. The problem is I will be required to teach in 2years and this might become a problem if my ears are stretched. I don’t want to go very big. Do you think if I were to stretch them now and take them out in 2years they would return to the normal earring size?

I stretched mine to 24mm and they went back to about 6mm after a few months of leaving them out and i stupidly went back up to 24mm once again, iv had them out again for about half a year and iv just come to the point where i know they’re not going to go back, this guy suggested it to me and I’m a nutter anyway so i got some fine sand paper and soaked it in Dettol, rubbed them down and put plasters on them, you just end up with a faint line on your ears, this will most likely work for others too, just don’t be stupid and let your dog lick you or some shit, cause then it’ll get infected.

I am at a 00 and have been for multiple months. I am enlisting in the Navy so I have to get my gauge closed, best thing I have found is numb your ears for 5-10 mins with ice then roll up some sand paper and use it to scratch open the inside of your lobe, the reason for that is so that when it is healing it will shrink, also use preperation h cream after so that it will dry up the tear in your ear and heal faster. I did this last night and already see shrinkage.

Does anybody know how to close up their ears using the sandpaper technique, and how affective it is? I’ve heard of this process being done many times, but u would like to hear from somebidybwith firsthand experience

Right okay, so I’m 15 okay, and like last year I wanted to stretch my left ear because I thought it looked awesome. I stretched pretty fast because I wanted to get bigger and bigger. I got to a 10mm (0g I think?!) and I took it out 3 nights ago and its shrunk a little tiny bit but I can still put my finger through it and stuff. I can’t really get hold of any of these fancy oils you all mention :/ and prom is on Friday and I know that I am kidding myself but I really want it closed I don’t regret it or anything I just reeealllyy miss being able to wear normal earrings?
I stretched my right ear to about a 6mm and it closed up within days and back to normal and I can wear normal earrings in that one.
It’s just my left ear?!!? The 10mm one?!?!? And tbf I don’t fancy putting sandpaper in my ear :/ just painful innit.
So pretty please get back to me?!
My email is: connie.archer@hotmail.co.uk
Thanks guysss xoxo

I was stretched to 3/4 inch, took them out totally and (funny enough) put preparation H on my ears when i would go to bed. I could get away with wearing earrings with large backs on them in about a month. embarrassing to go buy but works like a charm. I eventually re-stretched my ears again but now I find myself about to close them for the 2nd time and just bought my 2nd tube haha, hope this helps

Im currently at 1″ (Inch) and if I rub Vitamin E oil on my lobes, and take off any jewelry, they’ll shrivel up to about 1/2″. But if I leave them out longer, mmmaybe a 00″. I once closed mg 5/8’s complety. So just remember, everyone is different.

i’m at a 00, i want them back to a normal earring size as quickly as possible. i probably should have never sized up in the first place, but that being said, i have no idea what i am doing! and i start college soon! and i would like to not have a hole in my ear! ive been reading over these, i got that they need to be massaged with oils, etc. but i dont understand what people are doing with the whole irritating it? i just need ideas! i havent had 00 except for about a few months, and they havent been stretched but for about a year. HELP PLEASE! much appreciated!

I stretched my lobes very slowly to half inch (12.7 mm I think it is). Had a little trouble going from 2 to 0 and also from 7/16 to half ( had to try twice ). But I had to embark on my path to law school so I took them out and massaged them every day with vitamin E oil. This was about a month ago. Now they are between 12 and a 10. I’m hoping if I keep on being good to them they will shrink more or maybe even close. I mean its not all too likely because generally they say 2 - 0 is the point of no return and I went to half. But my ears look almost normal even though I did. It all depends on how much lobe you have and how far up you get it pierced. I have thick lobes and went to a professional piercer. Granted I was pierced with a 12g hollow point needle.

My best advice is to stretch slow and don’t go past 0. If you do just be good to your ears, always.

My second holes were pierced at a 14 and I stretched to a 4g. They healed perfectly fine and closed.

I was at 7/8 of an inch and I took mine out yesterday. ive had them for about 2 months and they were still not all the way healed. Anyway, i took the out last night and when i woke up they were around a 9/16-5/8. my ears look healthy and nice. they feel so wierd without the huge plugs in! but, right now i have a small pair of plugs in so my lobe will heal around it and not look shrivelled and nasty. i also use peroxide and leave the plugs out for a couple hours during the day.
i only put the plugs in when i go somewhere because the hole isnt very attractive. im really happy about how nicely they are healing though! it just takes time.

Another method you could try that might work is the gauge up gauge down method. Ive never tried it but,im about to.. one of my good friends would just put a bigger size in his ear and (gauge up) so it would get swollen and then take it out, and put a smaller size in (gauge down). His ears were huge it was amazing how far he shrunkthem. so i think if you repete the process and also massage with essential oil’s it would work really great.

Hey I have a question my ear lobe seems to stretch on its own I went from
00g to 1/2g by just putting the bigger sized plug in my ear didn’t hurt and no tear I’m trying to shrink down but I put a smaller plug and in a week or so my ear stretches bigger and the plug falls out what can I do to shrink them?
Also if this helps any of those girls on here to hide my stretched lobe when I have no plugs in since I’m trying to shrink and smaller plugs don’t help I wear clip on earrings over it which completely hides my lobe and looks as if tho I don’t have stretched lobes hope that works for some of you but does anyone have any suggestions that can help me shrink?

I’m at 1/2 inch, love my plugs, but I like changing it up. I want to close them as much as possible. I heard a lot about the sandpaper technique, using sandpaper to roll in your ear hole and irritate it, then massage with oils. I heard this works great and is used in the military. I want to be able to wear hoop earrings or studs. Not tiny ones obviously. Ex, pearl studs.

Anybody with the sandpaper experience,
or anybody who was at my size

Please tell me how much you were able to go down.

PS
my ears are pretty elastic, but my right ear blew out one therefor its stiffer and more scar tissue in that ear.

dear experts,
I gauged my ears in one sitting from a regular piercing size to a zero. I’ve had gauges in for seven years, the largest they were was 7/8. at the moment they’re at about a zero gauge. do you think my ears will forever look like tiny butts? any special advice?

Hey guys! I know this thread is super old now, haha. And I’ve actually read the whole thing. I don’t regret my ears at all, an I love them, but due to complications I have to close them. I have a pretty solid idea about how to do it, and I’m sure they’ll be fine- but my question is centrally about oils. I have both jojoba oil and Vitamin E oil - which is better to use? I’ve heard that jojoba is best because it is most like your natural skin sebum, but everyone here seems to say Vitamin E works pretty well. Which one would I use to aid in the closing of my ears?
They’re 3/4″, by the way. If anyone can help, feel free to message me on Facebook as well, if you want!
Thank you!

Hi guys, just wanted to thank e everyone for the useful suggestions and personal experience of shrinking your stretched ears. Personally, I’ve had mine stretched to a 00g for 20 years now and noted them just fine. There’s nothing wrong with changing your mind for whatever reason and deciding to shrink your stretched lobes. So many of you sound remourceful and there’s nothing wrong with augmenting your bod in the earlier years and later switching it up. That’s what individuals and free thinkers do so please don’t beat yourselves up about it. Life is not as long as it seems so enjoy it and don’t regret things, be happy you lived ;-D ps I’m so used to my plugs I can’t imagine living without them, but what more reason to try than that! Xx

I’ve read every comment here…some stupid, some very helpful. I’m at 9/16, have had ‘em stretched for about 4 years, and I’ve just kind of had it with my lobes. Its becoming a fad instead of originality now. My lobes are fuckers to try and get anything in them after even an hr of having them out so im guessing I wont have a problem growing them back.
Thanks for the help!

Hey can anyone help me please, i have 18mm lobes, i started stretching about february this year and went slowly and comfortably to about 14mm, than when i went to 16mm i got a slight tear but i massaged it regularaly and thank god didnt get a blowout, than about 3-4 months later i went to 18 using the tapeing method (wrapping pfte tape on your plugs) and experianced a blowout at 18mm, which was extremely painful but i thought massaging it would fix it, anyways i wAnt to shrink down to a 16 or 14mm hole now as i no longer have the need for large holes, used to work in a piercing studio and now working as a builder so yeh please help

Do you think it would be possible to go back to a 00g from a 2″. I’ve been debating about letting them shrink up or not as I’ve been getting a lot of shit about them from my supervisor. I know Bio Oil works wonders for blow-outs, do you think it would work to regain elasticity in my floppy lobes?

my friend was at 1/2 and within a week they closed up to about a 4? I was at 5/8 and just took them out a couple days ago and they’re only down to about 7/16 or a loose 00. we literally just let them sit and do their thing but I also heard irritating it with a little bit of rolled up sandpaper for a few seconds helps. this coming from a friend who was up to over an inch. he also said try stretching up a size again and take it out a few minutes later, the irritation should help it close further.
and those of you saying ” you shouldn’t have done it in the first place” ….well we did lol so that helps no one don’t be rude for the sake of being rude
anywho, I think everyone’s ears are different and will heal at different rates

I just started to guage my ears for the 1st time with a 10 and it hurt but 2days layer when i took out the taper to put my pluges in they started to bleef so i said forget it now my ears hurt when u touch them r all red and swollen how can i close them up and clean thrm so i have no infection its only been 1 day since i took out the tapers???

I just started to gauge my ears for the 1st time with a 10 and it hurt but 2days later when i took out the taper to put my plugs in they started to bleed so i said forget it now my ears hurt when u touch them they r all red and swollen how can i close them up and clean them so i have no infection its only been 1 day since i took out the tapers???

ive had 00 for only 2-4 months and 2weeks ago took out my plugs and applied liquid band aid in both holes. it actually worked a little bit i would say theyre down to a size 2G now and shrinking with the help of ocassionally massaging W/ bio oil. but im still considering to try the sand paper method only because im enlisting and would like to have them heal alot faster.

For infections you can use purified sea salt water. It is what is in h2ocean piercing spray. Helps to bring out any impurities and clean them. Get purified water and sea salt from the store, mix it, and give your ears a good soak a few times a day. If it is infected you should really see a doctor too. And seriously, a few comments back someone suggested using a power drill and someone else suggested burning them and another suggested sandpaper… Please use common sense!!! If you have questions about your piercing, go see your piercer or a professional piercer. (Mall piercers a are NOT PROFESSIONALS, piercing with a piercing gun is not professional) a professional piercer knows what a tri beveled needle is and that you don’t gauge your ears, you stretch them. They don’t use guns and definitely do not reccomend drilling, burning, or sand papering your piercings. That’s just calling for health hazards.

I began stretching my ears in ‘96 when I owned a tattoo shop. I have only been up to an inch because I ran out of room. I am now 39, and have decided to close them. In my experience, if you don’t want to pay for surgery, an effective way (but a bit painful) is to cut or sand down the inside and super glue them. When the glue wears off (usually in a few days) repeat the process. The super glue will also make them look closed during the process. Use a little makeup to hide the white residue from the glue. The general rule as I have seen it is that once you pass the Og mark, completely closing them is nearly impossible. Only use this if you have passed that mark. If you haven’t, it’s overkill and they may close up after some time on their own. Some people are asking how long it will take because they’ve had them out for a few days. Well, if you just leave them alone, some ears can take up to a year to close. Everyone’s skin is different so all of this will vary. Skin heals when there is an open wound. I had 4g holes in my cartilage and using this technique I was able to close the holes. Of course the cartilage will never heal, but the skin over it did. You will have a scar. Using oils in-between this process will help. I have never seen a way to completely avoid scars once you have gone this big unless you are one of the lucky ones. Mine have gone from 1″ to about a 12. Basically they look like a regular piercing unless I pull them open. Good luck. One more suggestion, talk to a local piercer and they may be able to make other suggestions, or at least guide you through the process.

Maaaan, this thread is old, but let’s keep it going for the sake of future generations of stretched ear regretees. I was at 12mm (1/2″?) for about 3 years or so and obv I want to now close them. I’ve been massaging them to irritate them on a daily basis for about a month and so far they have gone down to a 8-9mm (0g). I’m going to start using some vitamin E oil in my daily massages and even take the brutal path of sand papering to close up these butthole ears if I have to. I’ll update y’all on my progress later on.

I last stretched my ears to a 5/8 and now I am in the process of closing them. I literally just took them out and did not mess with them and in a couple days went down to a 0. I had 5/8 for a little over a year, but have had stretched ears for about 5 years. The downsizing has slowed down as of this point, but am suggesting the sandpaper technique. Any other suggestions please add!

Okay, I completely read each comment but like Owen, I was at 5/8ths of an inch. I took them out about four months ago. When I first took them out I put neosporin on them and that helped a lot. I’m currently at what looks like a 0g and they haven’t changed since. Any solid ideas besides surgery before I choose to cut my ears off? I had a small blow out in my right ear when gauging from a 4g to a 2g so that one is closing much slower… Which method would be fastest, out of the sandpaper method and the blow out method… Considering both methods heavily! Email me with whatever can help!!! ~ Thanks!

So i’ve read all of these comments, most of which have been helpful. I stretched my ears to 3/4 a couple of nights ago, and last night decided they just looked too big, so I put in my old 5/8 and went to sleep. I woke up this morning, and while I definitely cannot fit the 3/4 in, when I pull on my 5/8 inch plugs I still have quite a bit of room. It’s funny because once I decided the 3/4 looked too big, every size seems too big now. I by no means expect them to close up all the way, i’m just shooting for a 0 i think. It’s not that i regret stretching them, I just feel like it is kind of a youthful thing, I never really see people over 30 with them. I also was beginning to think that they are kind of culturally appropriative. I’m 20 now, and I do have quite a few tattoos that I very much love and will continue to love, but as far as ear mods go, I’m glad I’ve made the choice to shrink them. I have been using a combination of jojoba oil and vitamin e oil to massage them, and hopefully that will work. And I agree with the other posters, if you are below 00g, you really don’t have anything to worry about, your ears will at least be passable for normal sized earrings. Anyways, I’ll update my progress on here as I go!

About two years ago I started stretching my ears I started with 10g and then 8,6,4,2,0 and stayed at 0g no bigger for about 6 months and the stretching from 10g to 0g took me about hmmm? 3 months I think. Well about a year ago now I took them out and left them out after just a few hours I could see they were alot smaller then after about a week I put in a 20g hoop with the ball in the middle and had just that for the last year and I’m still at a 6g I have a weeding that I am in in a month so I just put in a taper to irritate it and then I will be using e.v olive oil to massage tomorrow and start that for awhile to see if it will help. What do you think?

right lads, need some help.
stretched my ears to a 10mm without my parents noticing. I stretched to a 6mm within 6 months and then went to a 10mm within 2.
Everything was fine and dandy and i had no problems. So all in all my ears have ben stretched for a year and a half.
Then the other night *boom* parents found out and i was in deeeepp shit (they dont like piercings tattoo’s ect. im not bitter they found out or anything coz i knew what i was getting into when i started)
So im closing them up now and all the suggestions here seem to be really really helpful (a bit sketch about the sandpaper though)
I’ve been using the oils and massaging them and id say that within the two days ive had them out theyve closed up atleast 2mm.
TBH this doesnt really include any tips for closing them up but it just shows that it does work and yeah
Good luck with all the healing and closing up everyone!

i started stretching my ears right after i turned 18 so i have had them stretched above a normal size for 7 years now. i recently took them out when i was at an 11/16’s and didn’t do anything to them other then just not wear any jewelery in them and in less then 2 weeks i was back down to a 00. so keep in mind that everybody heals at different rates. i also think it has something to do with the rate at which you stretch. i personally never made any big jumps and never stretched quickly either. i stretched to 11/16 back in december and before that i was at a 5/8 for 2 years. so keep that in mind if you are considering stretching. there are no promises that they will ever go away, without having to have surgery or anything crazy like that, but there is a chance i am getting ready to take my 00’s out and see if they close any further than that.

I’m at a 00 now and I haven’t stretched “the right way” with waiting and all that. I really like them and I want to size up but I do want them to somewhat close. should I size up or keep my lobes at 00?

Mine where 22mm after a couple of weeks they where down to 4mm by using hemroid cream on them (comically named anusol) obviously hemroid cream is designed to shrink flesh you can buy it in the chemist and a lot of supermarkets if you want the healed completely I’d suggest talking to ur local doctor and see if they can basically open the inside of the hole open with a scalpel and stitch them once you get over about 5mm they rarely return to normal in my experience

I began stretching my ears when I was 15. I started slow and worked my way up to 00. I was broke at the time so I skipped a few sizes and went from 00 to 1/2, then 1/2 to 3/4. This is a VERY bad idea, I do not recommend doing this. I had two small blowouts, which healed with time but I still have a scar.
A few months ago, I decided to close them, because I needed a better job. I took them out and in about a week they closed back to a half inch. They are stuck there now and it has been months and they wont close. I rub them with olive oil and even put medederma on them every night. I have to glue them together for work now and this is just annoying. Any different methods on trying to get these suckers to close??

I had stretched my ears to a 0, and I wanted them done quickly, so I stretched them way too fast, not even giving them time to heal properly, only had them in for a few months, took them out over a year ago and they’re still hanging out at around a 6 or 8g. I can still wear larger regular earrings with those backs with the plastic guards on them, but that’s it. I can’t wear any of the cute dangle earrings or smaller studs, or even normal backs without risking them pulling through. It really sucks. I really wish I hadn’t done it. I’ve tried lotion, messaging and mildly irritating them, hemorrhoid cream, amongst other things and they just won’t get any smaller. I’m really afraid that the only option for me now is surgery. My sister had to have it done because she stretched to a 7/16″ and then joined the military. It is costly, and the healing process seems little to be desired, but it’s effective at least. Now, you can’t even tell she ever stretched them. I guess I’d like to tell people who are considering stretching their ears not to ever rely on them going back to normal. They can, but like I said, I stretched very quickly to a 0- not even a very large hole, only had them in for a few months, and a year later after trying several things to close them, they’re still not even at a “normal” size. I also welcome any input or any methods I haven’t tried? Before I go the surgical route? Aside from re-stretching, tearing or anything like that…

I’m 15 years old, I have 1″ plugs, and I love them. I stopped by to let you all know that you shouldn’t make this kind of commitment to stretching your earlobes if you will want them small again. You should make sure that you start stretching your lobes because you love them the way they are, not because everyone else does it. These are a lifetime commitment, and you have to be prepared to keep them. As for downsizing, you should place jewelry of the previous size into the love, and do daily sea salt soaks. If your lobe isn’t dangly enough to be dipped into the salt water, just put it on a cotton pad and massage it into the ear

so i sized up to a 0g 2 days ago. and they were already hurting. i waited about 2 months to size up. but anyways, today they were hurting and swollen. and very stiff. so i took them out to see what was up & to put some Neosporen on them and i took a Q-Tip and cleaned them out and i pull out with blood. not gushing blood, but every time i’d put the Q-Tip back, it’d come out with more blood. now i’m “free-lobin” it for the night. but
i’m worried they’ll close up a whole bunch but i already figured i’d downsize the next day for the to heal. depending on how they felt & looked. buuuuut i just wanna know how to proberly clean them, how long it should take til i can size up (back to a 0g) & if they’ll close up a lot over night. thanks. c:

hey guys! im 15 and a couple days ago i was at a 0g and decided that i was tired of having gauges. I had had them at a 0g for a couple of months. What i did was I massaged and cleaned my ear lobes then put in size 2g plugs, at first they were pretty loose and could be pulled through my ear. After about 2 days i decided to try and put in size 4g soft wear tunnels after massaging my earlobes and they fit. So far so good and all i can say is that you should gradually downsize so your ear will have something to grab onto

Well,i have my ear lobes stretched to 5mm.(i know,they’re too small to worry about,but I do!) I put the 5mm stretcher in about 2 days ago and today I took it off because it was red and I think its a little infected..thats why I want them closed backto normal lobes. I have now the 2mm stretcher in and its still like that! Oh also I have them stretched for 10months or so. Im really worried. even tho I didnt pass any sizes..anyway. I really hope to be healed cos im too young for a sutgery like this..i know that i dont really need it.. Some weeks ago I wasnt wearing a taper at all because I had lost it and it closed about a half size in 12-15 hours.. I want to have my lobes stretched but only till 6-8mm..not too big not too small.. Im massaging it with olive oil,its natural with not any prosthetics added.. Try it! I think its working but what you got to lose?! *sorry for my bad English,im from Greece and im 14 soo..* anyway guys.i hope I dont have to tell it my mum cos shes gonna kill me:P any other ides for downsizing healthy and fast would be appreciated:) thanks!

I stretched my ears to an 8 gauge and I’ve had them for about 5 years, I took them out for about 3 months now and one has closed quite well but the other is about a 4 gauge still. I’ve applied to join the navy and need to go in in two weeks to show them they are closed any ideas? I’ve tried massaging them for the past 3 months and it worked at first but tit isn’t getting any smaller